Never be replaced
by SeleccionPeruana
Summary: Australia's greatest striker and all time scorer had announced his retirement from international football (soccer). And he could not leave without doing something special. Meanwhile, it is also a place where a romantic story comes to happen...


There was a man who had stood by his own. He just saw from the sky that, everything had gone so fast.

Just ten years ago, he was an energetic striker. But now, he had to see the stadium, perhaps, one last time. For him, he felt it was enough for him to become a legend of his way.

He saw the banner: "Oi! Oi! Oi!" and he felt a grateful attitude. He wanted to pay a thank for them, though. He just, did not get enough. He got his love within though.

And so, he sat down and played guitar …

…

…

…

The guitar was beautiful …

Everything had just gone throughout the light. He could not feel better or worse.

And there was it … there was a moment …

…

" _Remember when  
_ _I was young and so were you  
_ _And time stood still and love was all we knew  
_ _You were the first, so was I  
_ _We made love and then you cried  
_ _Remember when …_ "

He played the guitar in a friendly way at an empty stadium, where a sound of music and a sense of friendship was seen. And then, a girl walked in to listen from the voice of him. She was there, and yes, she felt it.

"… _Remember when  
_ _We vowed the vows and walked the walk  
_ _Gave our hearts, made the start, and it was hard  
_ _We lived and learned life threw curves  
_ _There was joy, there was hurt  
_ _Remember when …_ "

"Meimi?"

A boy called. It was a boy because of his voice. Couldn't be different at all. This had a great effect because this man, who was playing a song in rememberance. His sense of feeling would have a deep, and quiet sense, something he realized.

"Hi …"

And he kept singing with his guitar in the stadium.

"… _Remember when  
_ _Old ones died and new were born  
_ _And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged  
_ _We came together, fell apart  
_ _And broke each other's hearts  
_ _Remember when …_ "

A boy came and he did speak about the girl who he called her "Meimi". It was a surprising moment. As the man continued, he figured their feeling was mutual and they had a deep respect for each other. And he had the reasons to believe so, listening how they expressed on and on. He was right on it.

"I am not sure but …"

"Asuka-san, you're …"

"I'm sorry, but I think you …"

The boy, Asuka, was pretty much wet after a rain. And thus he had a hard time to express his feeling together. Meimi however encouraged him to be better and stronger. It was a quiet but beautiful moment.

"I like you …"

…

…

"… _Remember when  
_ _The sound of little feet was the music  
_ _We danced to week to week  
_ _Brought back the love, we found trust  
_ _Vowed we'd never give it up  
_ _Remember when …_ "

And they knew it. The man also knew it too.

It was so deep and as he was ongoing, he realized the time had gone much. He used to perform with a lot of headers, many turned into goals. He still missed these days, although it had never been the same anymore.

He was proud of it, and he wanted to maintain this feeling though. He could not expect better from these. He had scored. And everything went like a beautiful memoir that could never be replaced.

He smelt it.

As for the other, he saw them holding hands, and made some little dance. He found himself together with this romantic moment.

"… _Remember when  
_ _Thirty seemed so old now lookin' back  
_ _It's just a steppin' stone  
_ _To where we are, where we've been  
_ _Said we'd do it all again  
_ _Remember when …_ "

Meimi and Asuka replied the memory of some old family day, when Asuka's dad had even asked to marry Meimi's mom, but it was never responded. Now, he could have a chance to fulfill what the predecessors had failed.

It was quite hard for them.

But they could not find out any better scene than this one. For them, holding hand on the stadium was nothing but a quiet romance and they were impressed with the energy there. They didn't even notice about anything except the guitar music.

And they …

"Be my girlfriend, once … and forever …"

"We'll live, and even to the next life we will be …"

…

…

"… _Remember when  
_ _We said when we turned gray  
_ _When the children grow up and move away  
_ _We won't be sad, we'll be glad  
_ _For all the life we've had  
_ _And we'll remember when …_ "

They had indicated by their common sense of love and like. And probably, they would speak to their children how they came together if they were a family in the future.

Meanwhile, the man also realized, it was his family who gave inspiration for him to continue. He led the national team to many hardship, and he demonstrated his bravery. He had never been a captain, but he appeared to be a leader than even anyone who held the captain armband. Sometimes, his friends like Lucas Neil, Mark Viduka to Harry Kewell had to adore him regardless.

"That's time … Rebekah."

He had a deep respect for his wife who had followed him for the rest of his career. Now, he could rest and said proudly of other.

He might not be Zidane nor even Verón. But he would never be ignored. That's why he hoped so when he played the song …

…

"… _Remember when  
_ _Remember when._ "

And as such, he saw Meimi and Asuka expressed, he was happy and hoped they would never give up their emotions. And then, he stopped playing guitar and slowly walking away from the stadium with an Australian flag …

His face, when he walked out, was happy …

As Meimi and Asuka happily danced, quietly, another man was happy as well …

…

…

…

"Thank you … Tim Cahill."

That man …

…

…

…

…

…

 **Timothy Filiga Cahill**.


End file.
